President Donald Trump recently announced he wants every high school in America to offer apprenticeships.
High school apprenticeships aren’t common in the U.S., experts say. But teens usually have access to other career and technical education experiences — and interest in these types of programs has surged in recent years.
Career and technical education programs at high schools in the U.S. vary greatly, in terms of structure and quality, says James Stone, director of the National Research Center for Career and Technical Education. Programs could include job shadowing, internships, student-run businesses and more, he says.
[Learn how vocational high school programs are an option for teens.]
Families considering vocational programs for their teens can see the answers to common questions below to help make a decision.
1. What types of teens are the right fit? Career and technical education programs allow students to explore careers before making big college investments, says Patty Thomas, director of career and technical education for Alcoa City Schools in Tennessee. All students can benefit, she says.
“In the past there’s been a stigma,” she says. But in her community she’s seen that opinion diminish as individuals see the value of these programs and how they offer participants clear pathways to opportunities after high school, such as training programs and college.
High school career and technical programs may offer a variety of career pathways students can focus on. Thomas’ school, for instance, offers training in emergency medical services and STEM, among other fields. Student may be able to graduate with industry credentials and college credit.
But even if students don’t plan to focus on a particular career in high school, they can still benefit from this type of education, Stone says.
“At absolute minimum, every young person ought to begin exploring careers,” he says. “They may not exit high school with an industry credential that will get them a job, but if they come out of high school without a clue, college is a very expensive career development experience.”
2. Are teens who participate prepared for college and a career? If a student participates in a great program, there should be time to prepare for both, says Stone.
“I would argue those kids would be better prepared because they will have learned how to solve problems,” which is crucial to success in college, he says.
Stephen DeWitt, deputy executive director of the Association for Career and Technical Education, agrees students will be prepared for college and careers. “You absolutely have to have a strong foundation in academics for almost any career today.”
Cars have a lot of computers in them, for example, so professionals in the automotive industry need to be well versed in technology, he says.
3. What should families look for when vetting high school vocational programs? Families should ensure career and technical programs have partnerships with higher education institutions and regional employers, Stone says.
Thomas, the Tennessee educator, says families should find out if schools design their career and technical education programs with input from local business and industry partners.
Her students can study mechatronics, which combines electronics, engineering and robotics. “We are basically training students to repair the robots in our local manufacturing industry,” she says.
Students should also be able to participate in preprofessional organizations, such as FIRST Robotics, she says. Programs should offer students the chance to earn industry credentials, college credit and workplace experience, among other opportunities.
High school instructors should have some relevant industry experience, Thomas says. But Stone adds parents should find out how much teaching experience those instructors have.
[Get a jump-start on these three careers in high school.]
Thomas says career and technical education is becoming particularly popular in Tennessee.
“It’s no longer seen as just a program for students that aren’t going to college, it’s seen for all students as beneficial,” she says.
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Ask Questions About High School Vocational Programs originally appeared on usnews.com
